KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and the Netherlands conducted a joint expedition to the sites of two Dutch World War II shipwrecks in Malaysian waters from June 17 to 20, 2024.
According to a joint statement, the Malaysian team, led by the Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency under the Home Ministry, the Department of National Heritage under the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry, the Malaysia Marine Department under the Transport Ministry, and the National Security Council under the Prime Minister's Department, worked alongside their Dutch counterparts from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, the Defence Ministry, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kuala Lumpur.
The research team explored two sites—K-XVI and O-20—where two Royal Netherlands Navy submarines were recorded to have sunk during World War II in Malaysian waters. One wreck was not found and is believed to have been salvaged, while the other was confirmed to be at its location.
The findings of the expedition will be discussed between the two countries, along with any necessary follow-up actions. A commemoration ceremony was held by the Dutch delegation to honor those who lost their lives while serving on the submarines.
The statement further noted that the expedition "provided an excellent opportunity for the Netherlands and Malaysia to enhance bilateral relations, particularly in the area of training and capacity building related to maritime archaeology and underwater cultural heritage management."
This collaboration is not the first between Malaysia and the Netherlands on this matter; they previously conducted an expedition in 2019 to locate two other Dutch submarines, O-16 and K-XVII. Before the 2019 joint expedition, Malaysia and the Netherlands signed a Letter of Intent to officially collaborate on a joint management plan for Dutch shipwrecks in Malaysian waters.